Florentempus

FLORENTEMPUS (in Latin floren means flowering, thriving, flourishing; tempus – time) is an intriguing narrative about the relentless attempt to know more about the elements of nature, and through them to define, or quite often – to at least briefly make time on this earth stop. Fragile and unpredictable, yet at the same time vibrant and full of surprises, flora has always aroused human imagination, while transferred into works of art and literature, plants, especially flowering ones, eventually attained the gift of language imparted to them by man, expressed through symbols. Depending on the context, a blossom in a portrait could hint to the viewer whether the subject was alive or dead, shed light on their biography or foreboding destiny, while plants in images with the Virgin Mary or saints conveyed specific stages in their lives and their relationship with the Almighty. A poppy in the gathered folds of a woman’s robe, or a lily in the hand of a servant of God – no flower is incidental. And then there’s the floral still lifes and abundant wreaths, reflecting the economic power of an individual or a country, or religious and social tensions. The language of flowers is inexhaustible and timeless. This exposition is a continuation of the exhibition Florentem held at the Vilnius Picture Gallery, adapted especially for visitors to the Clock and Watch Museum. Exhibits are on loan from the M. K. Čiurlionis National Museum of Art and the Šiauliai Aušra Museum.